2003 Ford Focus Driver assistance Problems

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS FLASHES ALONG WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND IT INSTANTLY LOSES ENGINE POWER WITHIN MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW. I HAVE CHANGED BATTERY, AIR FILTER, ADD GAS CLEANER PRODUCTS. YET THE PROBLEM STILL IS HAPPENING . VERY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DOWN A EXTREMELY BUSY INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ID

11076765

Incident

Mar 7, 2018

Mileage

73,432 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS GETTING STUCK AND FAILED TO RELEASE. THE CONTACT CONSTANTLY HAD TO MANEUVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MORE THAN TWICE FOR REPAIRS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO PREVENT THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER (ADVANTAGE FORD LINCOLN, 1031 CENTRAL AVE, DUARTE, CA 91010, (877) 386-3673) WHO PROVIDED NO SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS OR THE OPTION FOR A LOANER VEHICLE SO THEY COULD TEST DRIVE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11023007

Incident

Oct 10, 2016

WHILE DRIVING, AN ODD ODOR COULD BE SMELLED, BUT WENT AWAY AFTER A MINUTE. CAME BACK ONCE BRIEFLY. 20 MINUTES LATER, AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN INTO MY WORK'S PARKING LOT, MY CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON, IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND ALL THE GAUGES WENT HAYWIRE. AFTER I STOPPED TRYING TO START IT, I TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE CAR ATTEMPTED TO START ITSELF. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS, THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FILLED UP WITH SMOKE. THE FIRE ORIGINATED NEAR THE BATTERY. AN OFFICER SHOWED UP LESS THAN 2 MINUTES AFTER THIS ALL OCCURRED, AND HE SAT THERE AND WATCHED MY CAR BURN. HE PULLED OUT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER 10 MINUTES LATER SO MY CAR WOULDN'T CREATE VISIBILITY ISSUES FOR THE CARS DRIVING PAST (IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOUR LANE ROAD). THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MOST LIKELY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, I HAD MY ALTERNATOR REPLACED. THE NEW ALTERNATOR WAS A FORD MANUFACTURED PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562147

Incident

Nov 2, 2012

Mileage

109,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED HER VEHICLE INTO PARK, TURNED IT OFF, AND THEN STARTED IT UP AGAIN, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF IT IS IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE FORWARD. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. IF THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE, IT WOULD SURGE BACKWARD. THE CONTACT ONLY NOTIFIED THE INSURANCE COMPANY. A CRASH OCCURRED AND AN OCCUPANT WAS INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS ALSO FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,600 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID

10224919

Incident

Aug 19, 2007

Mileage

35,000 mi

CAR HAD SUDDEN ACCELERATION THAT WAS ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE--AUG 2004 CAUSING CRASH WITH 1 INJURY & CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY IN REVERSE CAUSING CRASH WITH DAMAGE TO HOUSE...BOTH ACCIDENTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL..OWNER WAS ACCUSED OF CARELESS DRIVING BUT WAS NOT AT FAULT EITHER TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214935

Incident

Jan 4, 2007

Mileage

8,000 mi

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3 WITH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE AN INTERMITTMENT PROBLEM WITH IT STOPPING. THE ENGINE SURGES AND WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IT IS STIFF. IT HAS ALWAYS DONE IT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD IT TO A FORD DEALER THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THEY COULDN'T FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT AND SAID THEY WERE CALLING FORD TO TALK TO THE ENGINEERS. FORD INFORMED THEM THEY HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER ON IT THE SECOND TIME. I PICKED IT UP AND THE VERY NEXT DAY I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND THE ENGINE SURGED EVEN MORE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STIFF . THE FORD DEALER HAS HAD IT FOR A WEEK NOW WITH NO COMMUNICATION FROM THEM SO FAR. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND GIVES NO INDICATION IT IT GOING TO DO IT. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WITH THIS STARTING IN NOVEMBER. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF APRIL THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME QUITE FREQUENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10189928

Incident

Apr 4, 2007

Mileage

27,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD ABOUT TWO FEET. HE HAD TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKES TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM LURCHING FORWARD. THIS DID HAPPEN EVERY TIME THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT IT COULD BE SOMETHING WITHIN THE COMPUTER, BUT THEY WERE NOT SURE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT WAS GOING TO CALL AFTER HE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. *AK

NHTSA ID

10137120

Incident

Aug 1, 2005

Mileage

46,500 mi

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN DRIVER BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN, APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. DRIVER HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES. DRIVER HAS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP. *AK THE VEHICLE ALSO JERKED WENT THE CONSUMER REACHED SPEEDS OF 55 MPH AND HIGHER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10117831

Incident

Feb 15, 2004

Mileage

3,000 mi

DT: THERE IS A CROSS MEMBER PIECE OF METAL BEHIND THE DASH OF THE CAR, THE CROSS MEMBER BAR BEHIND THE DASH HAS OBVIOUS RUST SPOTS. *AK THE BRACE BEHIND THE DASH WHICH EXTENDS FROM THE STEERING COLUMN TO THE RIGHT END OF THE DASHBOARD HAS OBVIOUS OXIDATION SPOTS AND RUST. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF THE CAUSE. NO WATER SPOTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THESE RUST SPOTS CAN BE SEEN BEHIND THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AS WELL. VEHICLE HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE. VEHICLE ALSO HAS A STUCK ACCELERATOR CAUSED BY FAILURE TO THE THROTTLE BODY PLATE. *TT *NM

NHTSA ID

10120069

Incident

May 6, 2005

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE BRAKES ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. *TC

NHTSA ID

10109116

Incident

Jan 27, 2005

THREE TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND REPLACEMENTS. THE ENGINE, STARTER/IGNITION AND 1 GEAR SHIFT ALL REPLACEMENTS AND OTHER VARIOUS PROBLEMS. *BF FOUR CD PLAYER REPLACEMENTS, THE BRAKES FAILED, AND 1 ALARM FAILURE. *SC THE ENGINE WAS ALSO REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10107088

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

THE TEMPERATURE HAD BECOME COLDER AND THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT DEPRESS WITHOUT FORCE. THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR WHENEVER THE VEHICLE SAT OVERNIGHT OR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE CONSUMER WOULD DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR UNTIL IT WOULD MOVE DOWNWARDS. THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. IT WOULD TAKE 4-5 DEPRESSIONS UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR WOULD MOVE DOWNWARD. OTHER PROBLEMS WERE THE BRAKES SQUEALING AND THE VEHICLE SUFFERED FROM NOT STARTING AT TIMES, EITHER THE PANEL LIGHTS WOULD ENGAGE OR THE STARTER WOULD GRIND. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10099298

Incident

Sep 7, 2004

Mileage

6,980 mi

CONSUMER CAN SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT PUSHING THE SHIFT RELEASE BUTTON. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONSUMER ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WHEN DRIVING AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF HAVING DONE SO UNTIL THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD. *SC

NHTSA ID

10083925

Incident

Jul 14, 2004

Mileage

19,000 mi

THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAS 12,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. IT WILL REACH AS HIGH AS 7,000 RPMS WITHOUT EFFORT. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND NEITHER WERE WILLING TO ASSIST. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10089291

Incident

Aug 18, 2004

Mileage

10,500 mi

. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. ON OCTOBER 31 OF 2003, I PURCHASED FORD FOCUS SE, BRAND NEW.. FOR FIVE MONTH I OWN THIS VEHICLE, I WAS IN THE SHOP FOR ALL KIND DIFFERENT PROBLEMS 9 TIMES. IT WAS: CONSTANT VERY STRONG VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, CONSTANT GROUNDING NOISE COMES FROM ENGINE SITE AND TRANSFORMED TO AN ULTRASOUND NOISE AT HIRE SPEED, THE SQUEALING HAS INTENSIFIED AND SOUNDS HORRIBLE! TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE I DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, HAD TO USE TOW TRACK.( DEALER SAD THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM) ,BUT TRANSMISSION STILL LOCKS AND JERKING CONSTANTLY, SQUEAL NOISE FROM BREAKS, (DEALER REPLACED FRONT PADS AND RESURFACE DRUM, BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR REAR BREAKS AND NOISE AND PULSATION IS STILL THERE., DEALER FOUND DEFECTIVE RIMS, DEFECTIVE TIRES, THROTTLE PROBLEMS, BRAKES PROBLEMS. PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR INTENSIFIED. I GOT MY CRUSE CONTROL ACCELERATED BY IT SELF IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP AND JERKING INTERMITTENTLY, BRAKES SQUEALING AND PULSATE THE FORD DEALER SALES AND SERVICE PEOPLE SAID THAT I SHOULD NOT RETURN FOR SERVICE AND WAIST ANY BODYS TIME, HE SAID THAT WHAT I HEAR AND FILL IN MY FORD FOCUS IS NORMAL. FORD WARRANTY IS NOT WORTH A PAPER IT IS WRITTEN ON. SO, FORD WONT FIX MY CAR AND I CANNOT DO IT OTHER WISE. AS A RESULT OF STRONG VIBRATION AND SQUEALING NOISE I AM LOOSING BALANCE, HAVE SEVERE HEADACHE, ALL BODY EKING, I HAVE PAIN IN BOOTH OF MY ARMS, AND I HAVE DIFFICULTY TO WALK AND MY RIGHT LEG BECOME NUM. I HAVE TO USE WALKING CANE AND KNEE AND ANKLE SUPPORT. I SCARED TO EVEN DRIVE IT ANYMORE. I AM PLEADING TO YOU, TO HELP .ME TO GET A FULL REFUND FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR ITS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, PLUS A COMPENSATION FOR ALL EXPENSES INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THIS ORDEAL.

NHTSA ID

10068068

Incident

Nov 15, 2003

Mileage

1 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE RUMBLED AS IT ACCELERATED. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE FORWARD. DRIVER PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK SO THAT IT WOULD COME TO A STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION, AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10062860

Mileage

8,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING 20 MPH ENGINE REVVED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CASE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE ADD ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10063067

Incident

Feb 17, 2004